Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation
Price Movement of Selected Sub-Groups/Groups of Consumer Price Index on Base 2012=100 for Rural, Urban and Combined for the month of April 2020
The National Statistical Office , Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation is releasing Price Movement of selected Sub-Groups/Groups of Consumer Price Index  on Base 2012=100 for Rural, Urban, Combined for the month of April 2020  and CPI  for the month of March 2020 in this press note. The corresponding Consumer Food Price Index  for all India Rural, Urban and Combined are also being released.
2. The Price data are usually collected from selected 1114 urban markets and selected 1181 villages through personal visits by field staff of Field Operations Division of NSO, MoSPI on a weekly roster. In view of the preventive measures and announcement of nation-wide lockdown by the Government to contain spread of COVID-19 pandemic, the price collection of Consumer Price Index  through personal visits of price collectors was suspended with effect from 19th March, 2020. In the month of April, 2020, price data was largely collected by telephonic enquiry from the designated outlets. This was supplemented by information collected during the personal purchase of field staff for the items being transacted from neighborhood outlets keeping in view the travel advisories. The whole exercise was carried out by well experienced and professional staff of FOD, NSO stationed at about 200 locations across the country. NSO accordingly collected prices from 674 urban markets and 524 villages, for commodities which were available and being transacted during the lockdown period.
3. In view of the limited transactions of products in the market in the month of April, 2020, it has been decided to release the Price Movement of Sub-groups/Groups of CPI, following the principles of adequacy. The Price Movement of these Sub-groups/Groups of CPI were worked out with following criteria:
i) The price of only those items were included which have been reported from at least 25% of markets, separately for Rural & Urban sector and constituted more than 70% weight of the respective Sub-groups/Groups.
ii) The all India indices have been compiled using Direct Approach by considering a common market at the national level in both Rural & Urban sectors separately.
4. Accordingly, the Price Movement for the sub-groups ‘Meat and fish’ and ‘Prepared meals, snacks, sweets etc.’ under ‘Food & Beverages’ Group as well as the Groups ‘Pan, tobacco and intoxicants’ Group, ‘Clothing and Footwear Group’ were not compiled. Under ‘Miscellaneous’ Group, only the index for ‘Health’ subgroup has been compiled for the month of April, 2020. The General CPI and indices at State/UT level are not being released for the month of April, 2020.
5. The Price Movement of all sub-groups under ‘Food & Beverages Group’ , ‘Housing Group’, ‘Fuel & Light Group’ and ‘Health Sub-group’ under ‘Miscellaneous Group’, CFPI  of CPI at All India level, separately for Rural, Urban & Combined sector are being released at Annex-I.
6. All India Inflation rates , based on General Indices and CFPIs are given as follows:
All India Inflation rates  based on CPI  and CFPI
|
|
Indices
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|
Mar. 2020 
|
|
Mar. 2019
|
|
Rural
|
|
Urban
|
|
Combd.
|
|
Rural
|
|
Urban
|
|
Combd.
|
|
CPI 
|
|
6.09
|
|
5.59
|
|
5.84
|
|
1.80
|
|
4.10
|
|
2.86
|
|
CFPI
|
|
8.88
|
|
8.59
|
|
8.76
|
|
-1.46
|
|
3.47
|
|
0.30
Notes: Combd. - Combined
7. Price data are received through web portal, maintained by the National Informatics Centre.
Next date of release is scheduled for 12th June, 2020  for May 2020.